In a significant constitutional and political confrontation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has issued a third, sharply worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Dated January 3, 2026, the four-page correspondence characterizes the exercise as “deeply flawed, arbitrary, and unconstitutional,” warning that it threatens to disenfranchise millions of genuine voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

The Current Context: A High-Stakes Overhaul

The controversy centers on the SIR, a comprehensive house-to-house verification drive launched by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in mid-2025. Unlike routine annual updates, this exercise involves fresh enumeration and strict document verification, ostensibly to remove duplicate, deceased, and “shifted” entries.

In West Bengal, the stakes are exceptionally high. The ECI’s draft rolls revealed that over 58 lakh names—nearly 7% of the state’s electorate—have already been provisionally deleted. Furthermore, approximately 1.36 crore entries have been flagged for “logical discrepancies,” leading to a massive wave of mandatory hearings that have overwhelmed both citizens and local officials.

Allegations of “WhatsApp Governance” and Technological Misuse

A central theme of Banerjee’s letter is the alleged breakdown of formal administrative protocols. The Chief Minister accused the ECI of issuing critical, daily instructions through informal WhatsApp and text messages rather than statutory orders or formal notifications.

Arbitrary Deletions: Banerjee alleged that IT systems are being used for “backend deletions” of voters without the knowledge or approval of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), who are the legally mandated authorities for such changes.

Technological Conspiracy: She further characterized the process as a “technological conspiracy,” claiming that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being weaponized to strike off names based on surname changes (often after marriage) or spelling variations between English and Bengali records.

Humanitarian Concerns and Public Distress

The letter highlights the “inhumane” nature of the hearing process. Banerjee noted that elderly citizens, the infirm, and even those requiring oxygen cylinders have been summoned to centralized hearing centers located 20–25 kilometers away.

Impact on Citizens: She pointed out that high-profile figures, including Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, fast bowler Mohammed Shami, and veteran poet Joy Goswami, have been flagged as “doubtful” or summoned for hearings, amplifying fears among ordinary residents.

Reported Deaths: The Chief Minister previously linked the intense pressure of the SIR to several deaths among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and ordinary citizens, describing the current atmosphere as one of “needless anxiety and harassment”.

Demands and Potential Legal Action

Banerjee’s letter urges the ECI to “immediately address and rectify the glitches” or halt the “unplanned and ad hoc” exercise entirely to prevent “irreparable damage” to democracy. Following the letter, she announced her intention to move the Supreme Court, stating she would seek permission to plead as an “ordinary citizen” to expose the harassment faced by the people of West Bengal.

While the ECI defends the SIR as a necessary step to ensure “error-free electoral rolls” and national security, the Trinamool Congress views it as a politically motivated “purge”. As the January 15 deadline for claims and objections approaches, the legal and political battle over West Bengal’s voter list continues to intensify.

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